Biography

Mike Mularkey enters his 20th year of NFL coaching, three of which were spent as a head coach. As a former NFL tight end, Mularkey played a total of 114 games in nine seasons with the Minnesota Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers. His experience as a player has molded his style as a position coach.

Mularkey joins the Titans after one season (2012) with the Jacksonville Jaguars as the franchise’s fourth head coach, and four seasons (2008-11) with the Atlanta Falcons as offensive coordinator. Over the four-year time span with the Falcons, the team advanced to the postseason three times, ranked ninth in the NFL in total yards (354.8 per game), seventh in points (24.5), eighth in rushing yards (125.7), third in fewest turnovers (84), fourth in fewest sacks allowed (93), and sixth in third down conversions (44.2).

Mike Mularkey enters his 20th year of NFL coaching, three of which were spent as a head coach. As a former NFL tight end, Mularkey played a total of 114 games in nine seasons with the Minnesota Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers. His experience as a player has molded his style as a position coach.

Mularkey joins the Titans after one season (2012) with the Jacksonville Jaguars as the franchise’s fourth head coach, and four seasons (2008-11) with the Atlanta Falcons as offensive coordinator. Over the four-year time span with the Falcons, the team advanced to the postseason three times, ranked ninth in the NFL in total yards (354.8 per game), seventh in points (24.5), eighth in rushing yards (125.7), third in fewest turnovers (84), fourth in fewest sacks allowed (93), and sixth in third down conversions (44.2).

In three of the four years with the Falcons, Mularkey’s offense produced a 3,000-yard passer, a 1,000-yard receiver and a 1,000-yard rusher in the same season. His guidance saw the rise of quarterback Matt Ryan, wide receiver Roddy White, running back Michael Turner; and the continued growth of tight end Tony Gonzalez, who totaled 233 receptions and 19 touchdowns in their three years together. In 2010, Sporting News named Mularkey “Coordinator of the Year.”

Prior to his time with the Falcons, Mularkey spent two seasons (2006-07) with the Miami Dolphins as the offensive coordinator in 2006, and tight ends coach in 2007. He joined the Dolphins after serving as head coach for the Buffalo Bills for two seasons (2004-05). In his first season with the team, the Bills finished 9-7, marking their only winning season over the last decade.

Eight seasons (1996-2003) with the Pittsburgh Steelers preceded Mularkey’s time with the Bills. Mularkey served as the tight ends coach in his first five seasons. He molded Mark Bruener into an outstanding run-blocking tight end. His final three seasons were spent as offensive coordinator, during which time he directed two top five offenses (3rd, 2001 and 5th, 2002) and earned Assistant Coach of the Year in 2001 from the Pro Football Writers of America.

Mularkey entered the coaching ranks in 1993, overseeing the offensive line at Concordia College. He transitioned into the NFL in 1994, where he began as a quality control coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before being promoted to tight ends coach the following season (1995).

Selected in the ninth round by the San Francisco 49ers in 1983, Mularkey was waived following his first training camp. He was signed by the Vikings, where he played for six seasons, before finishing his career with three years at Pittsburgh. He totaled 102 receptions and 1,222 career yards.

Raised in South Florida, Mularkey attended the University of Florida. He and his wife, Betsy, have two sons – Patrick and Shane.